"Much surprised by the request, I took the note. It was directed to Philip Pip, Esquire, and on the top of the superscription were the words, 'PLEASE READ THIS, HERE.' I opened it, the watchman holding up his light, and read inside, in Wemmick's writing, -'DON'T GO HOME.'" -Philip Pip

"It's the early 1800s; you're a young boy growing up in the poor slop of the rural moors in England. You take a quick walk from your cottage to visit family graves and are caught up by a snarling, escaped convict threatening to have your beating heart dug out if you don't obey his every word. Now imagine, over the next few years, that you silently, privately hand your soul to the girl of your dreams...who delights in slowly, carefully breaking and digesting your heart for her own perverse pleasure. Then, as you approach adulthood, imagine that convict anonymously showering you with all the wealth he never had. And imagine that young woman finally, kindly, lovingly, restoring that pulpy, innocent heart to you. This is Philip Pirrip's life of Great Expectations." -From Schwager's Introduction

Everything changes for young Pip when he is almost beaten by a man in a graveyard. An orphan and the apprentice of a poor blacksmith, Pip is perpetually lovestruck by the girl, Estella, who is wealthy, divine, and utterly heartless. Pip's only chance to escape his moribund low-class origin comes by means of the friends he makes and a surprising amount of money. But only time will tell if he can achieve all his dreams-or if they are even worth achieving.

This rags-to-riches Canon Classic is full of dramatic changes of fortune, exciting revelations, close escapes, and Dickens' unfailingly humorous caricature. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics are printed on thicker text stock and feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book's materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.